In the lead-up to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco, President Joe Biden is expressing a strong desire to reinstate military-to-military ties with China.
White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan emphasized this intention, stating that the president sees the restoration of these ties as crucial for U.S. national security interests.
Biden is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the APEC summit, marking their first in-person encounter in a year and only the second since Biden assumed office in January 2021.
Sullivan, in an interview with CBS’ “Face the Nation,” stressed the importance of reestablishing lines of communication to avoid potential mistakes, miscalculations, or miscommunication between the two nations.
According to Sullivan, the effort to restore military ties extends from senior leadership to tactical operational levels and encompasses activities both on the water and in the air in the Indo-Pacific region.
He mentioned on CNN’s “State of the Union” that Biden would seek to make progress on military ties during his meeting with Xi, making it a top agenda item.
The decision to revive military-to-military connections comes amid strained relations between the U.S. and China. Sullivan acknowledged that the Chinese had essentially severed these communication links, and Biden is determined to mend them for better diplomatic understanding.
The upcoming Biden-Xi meeting is expected to cover a broad spectrum of global issues, including the Israel-Hamas conflict, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, North Korea’s relations with Russia, Taiwan, developments in the Indo-Pacific, human rights concerns, fentanyl production, artificial intelligence, and discussions on “fair” trade and economic relations.
The meeting is viewed as a critical opportunity to address various challenges and improve diplomatic relations between the two nations.
